Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 21

021. Time Passes, and the Sword Flows

“You’re a bit late again today.”

Un-hyun muttered beside the small pavilion.

He had finally finished his busy day and was now able to hold the wooden sword in his hands.

For Un-hyun, who always felt that his training time was insufficient, the two hours remaining until sunset felt too short.

“Alright, then…….”

Un-hyun took out his wooden sword. He felt a pleasant sensation from the wooden sword that he had been using for several years, and his mind seemed to be at ease.

Ttang.

With the sound of the wind chimes hanging from the eaves of the pavilion, Un-hyun slowly took a breath.

The summer afternoon sunlight caught on the tip of the wooden sword in his hand, and the gentle breeze brushed his cheek.

After remaining motionless for a while, Un-hyun’s wooden sword began to draw a smooth curve.

Softly, but without hesitation.

That was the beginning of the First Form of the White Tiger Training Sword.

―Are you from Sichuan Province?

A businesslike question came from Un-hyun. The storyteller, who was sitting across from him, nodded with an uneasy look.

―Sichuan is famous for the Tang Clan and the Mount Emei Sect [two prominent martial arts sects]. Have you ever witnessed a martial arts contest directly?

The storyteller’s eyes soon began to sparkle, and Un-hyun’s brush raced across the paper.

And at the end of the contest, as always, the storyteller’s eyes widened and he looked surprised.

―No, how did you know that?

A soft smile appeared on Un-hyun’s lips, and he answered the storyteller in a low voice.

―I just guessed.

The storyteller tilted his head with a puzzled expression.

However, Un-hyun’s eyes were shining even more.

―So? What happened next?

Swish.

There was no sound of cutting through the wind.

There was no shout that seemed to shake the heavens and the earth.

But at this moment, everything around them held its breath and watched Un-hyun’s swordsmanship.

The Second Form of the White Tiger Training Sword seemed to cut even the hot summer sun.

―Ugh, aren’t you heating this place?

The biting winter wind of Beijing made the scholar involuntarily tighten his collar.

Un-hyun’s soft voice echoed over the storyteller’s discomfort.

―I don’t want to do this if I can help it, since it’s cold.

Of course, Un-hyun was the one who asked to continue their sessions even in winter.

Un-hyun shrugged as if he couldn’t help it.

―But, you said a new master suddenly appeared?

Un-hyun’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.

With shining eyes, Un-hyun moved closer to the storyteller.

―Did you see him fight? Not just heard about it, but witnessed it directly?

Whoosh.

A wind stirred at the tip of the sword.

The falling snowflakes scattered, and the Fifth Form of the White Tiger Training Sword bloomed like a flower in the cold winter wind, showing off its beauty.

Even the cold and bitter chill disappeared as if it were nothing in front of it.

―Hello, Scholar Un-hyun.

Un-hyun’s eyes widened at the greeting of the young military officer.

―Oh! Aren’t you the top graduate of the military examination?

―Scholar, I told you back then, but my name is Gwan Cheol-hun.

The military officer’s face frowned slightly, but a smile still lingered on Un-hyun’s face.

―Instructor Il Chung-hyun is looking for you.

―Is that so? It’s still early……. It seems there’s some interesting martial arts contest.

Un-hyun hurriedly packed his books and writing utensils.

―Let’s go quickly.

Gwan Cheol-hun, the new instructor, took the lead with measured steps, and Un-hyun hurried to keep up.

It was the everyday life of Un-hyun, the unofficial scholar in charge of the Imperial Secret Agency.

Swoosh.

Un-hyun’s sword path draws a circle under the blue autumn sky.

As white clouds caught on the tip of the wooden sword, the Seventh Form of the White Tiger Training Sword reached for the high sky.

The blue sky and the autumn scenery of the Forbidden City spread out below were quietly holding their breath in front of the swordsmanship of a wooden sword.

―Oh my, isn’t it true that you’ve seen all the miscellaneous books in Munyeon Hall [the royal library]?

Un-hyun frowned slightly at the sweet voice of Eunuch Park Gyu.

―Isn’t that just the titles? I only read about the martial arts world properly……. [He means he only skims the other books.]

A smile appeared on Park Gyu’s face, but Un-hyun still looked embarrassed.

―Please don’t go around saying that I’m completely versed in all the miscellaneous books in Munyeon Hall. Why is the Imperial Academy suddenly sending me an official request for cooperation to find books? I’m busy as it is…….

But Eunuch Park Gyu remained nonchalant.

He bowed deeply and quickly changed the subject.

―Yes, I will do that from now on. Oh, have you heard about the Chang-eum Pavilion performance tonight?

―Huh? Performance?

As always, Un-hyun’s eyes lit up and he fell for Eunuch Park Gyu’s words.

Whoong.

Un-hyun’s wooden sword dances in the bright spring sunshine.

A fragrant floral scent was carried along the soft swordsmanship of the Ninth Form of the White Tiger Training Sword.

The trace of a sword flowed quietly but constantly, like time.

Swash.

The sound of pouring rain at night was particularly loud.

However, the reason why the light was still on in Un-hyun’s residence was not because he could not sleep due to the sound of rain.

―There’s something strange about this storyteller’s record.

Un-hyun tilted his head as he turned the book.

―He couldn’t have used this stance here…….

Tok tok.

Un-hyun tapped the desk with his finger.

In the sound of rain hitting the window, Un-hyun fell into deep thought.

―This part is wrong after all.

Finally shaking his head, Un-hyun reached out and took out another book.

The summer night deepened and the sound of rain outside the window was loud, but the book never left his hand.

Sarak.

The wooden sword brushed against the wind as if touching a silk cloth.

Un-hyun’s wooden sword flowed consistently along the sword path, along the years.

In that way, Un-hyun’s Twelfth Form of the White Tiger Training Sword rushed towards its conclusion.

And then, it came out of nowhere.

‘Ah!’

It was a sudden realization.

At the end of the White Tiger Training Sword Form, which he had unfolded as usual, something brushed past Un-hyun’s mind.

And finally, Un-hyun knew.

The twelve sword forms of the White Tiger Training Sword are actually one.

‘That’s it!’

Un-hyun’s heart was pounding.

‘The White Tiger Training Sword is twelve voices speaking the same conclusion.’

As if a thick curtain was being lifted, the twelve sword paths of the White Tiger Training Sword came to life clearly.

With that, Un-hyun’s wooden sword began to unfold a new White Tiger Training Sword.

It was the First Form that the Twelfth Form always called to, the true First Form of the White Tiger Training Sword.

Woo woong.

A faint energy covered the wooden sword, but Un-hyun did not notice.

Ttak.

Appearing with soft steps in the First Form and whispering quietly,

Swish.

Smiling tenderly in the Fifth Form,

Pararak.

Coyly glancing in the Ninth Form,

Hoo-oook.

Un-hyun forgot everything in the face of her beautiful, peerless appearance.

Sarak.

Reaching the Twelfth Form, Un-hyun became one with the White Tiger Training Sword.

And at the end of the Twelfth Form, there it was.

‘Ah-ah!’

It was the conclusion of the White Tiger Training Sword Form, and the conclusion of the sword paths that Un-hyun had found in the numerous miscellaneous books of Munyeon Hall over the past years.

It certainly existed in Instructor Il Chung-hyun’s teachings, in Instructor Do Jin’s splendid swordsmanship, and in the swords of the enthusiastic new Imperial Secret Agents.

And it was always flowing in the swords of the masters who appeared in the storytellers’ martial arts stories.

‘Yes, it was. It was.’

There was no logic, no basis, no reason. The distinction of stances and the flow of swordsmanship lost their meaning in front of it.

It was so haughtily unfolded before Un-hyun’s eyes.

It was full in the sky, in the ground, at the end of the pavilion’s eaves, in the ringing of the scenery, and in the old wooden sword in his hand.

It was a new world unfolding before Un-hyun’s eyes, a new world full of sky and earth.

Woo woong.

A thrilling shiver ran through his body.

With that, everything disappeared from his eyes.

He forgot the world and forgot the sword.

All that was visible was an irresistible, enormous flow.

Following that flow, Un-hyun’s sword began a sword dance towards eternity as if it were fate.

But the sword dance did not last long.

Pa-ahng.

With a sharp sound, pieces of wood flew from Un-hyun’s eyes.

His wooden sword was shattering into pieces.

With the fragments of the wooden sword scattering in the air, the magnificent world that had unfolded before his eyes disappeared as if it were an illusion.

“Ah!”

Un-hyun shouted in frustration, but the haughty figure of the beauty that had filled his eyes disappeared and the new world vanished.

All that remained was the longing that lingered around Un-hyun like the fragrance of a hazy spring day.

“Ah-ah…….”

A wind blew in one corner of his heart.

He clenched and unclenched his empty hand several times, but the empty hand was only empty.

The sensation was still vivid in his hand, but the shattered wooden sword and the stopped sword dance would not return.

“Was that…… an illusion?”

Un-hyun muttered powerlessly. But the fragments of the wooden sword scattered before his eyes said it was not an illusion.

If what he saw was an illusion, then what was this heat and longing that welled up in his heart?

Un-hyun muttered like a sigh.

“I definitely saw it. But…….”

Joo-roo-reuk.

A single stream of unknown hot tears flowed down his cheek.

“What was it?”

In a daze, Un-hyun did not know what to do for a while.

How much time had passed? Un-hyun suddenly realized that it was quite dark around him.

“Ah! It’s already time…….”

It must be evening already. But Un-hyun was not very surprised.

This was often the case when training the White Tiger Training Sword.

He had often fallen into a sense that there was only himself and the sword in the world, and had only come to his senses when it was dark night.

It was certainly strange to not know day or night when training, but Un-hyun did not take it as anything special.

For Un-hyun, it was already common to be so engrossed in a book that he unknowingly greeted the dawn.

Seuk.

Un-hyun quickly wiped his eyes with his sleeve.

‘A man, a scholar at that, shedding tears is such a disgrace?’

But strangely, he was not ashamed.

Un-hyun, who was about to tidy up his clothes and pick up his wooden sword as usual, remembered that his wooden sword was broken.

‘Ah, that’s right. Earlier…….’

Un-hyun looked at the pieces of wood scattered on the floor with a gloomy expression.

“What should I do? The wooden sword is broken……. What should I say to Instructor Il Chung-hyun?”

After standing for a while, Un-hyun turned away sadly.

The fact that it was late and that the wooden sword was broken did not really matter.

What filled Un-hyun’s heart now was a vague nostalgia for something unknown that he had seen.

“Hoo-woo-woo.”

Ttang.

Un-hyun hurried his steps, letting the small sound of the scenery flow into his ears.

However, the twilight gradually cleared in the pavilion that Un-hyun had left, and by the time he reached his lodgings, it was already bright dawn.

It was a natural reaction for Un-hyun, who realized that it was not evening but morning, to let out a hollow laugh.

However, Un-hyun had no idea what he had experienced, and how long the amazing world that had unfolded before his eyes for a moment had actually lasted.